Infinity
by TheDestroyer75
Summary: Riley Marcy always knew he was different. He was raised in an orphanage in Aspertia City as long as he could remember with almost no memories of his parents. Despite his shortcomings, he is given an opportunity most kids like him would never get; the chance to start a journey. However, an evil organization has been a threat to him since the beginning. Will he achieve his dream?
1. Prologue

**Chapter** **1: Introduction**

 _Hello, and welcome to my first story! Basically, this is a story about a kid who goes on a journey, like so many other Pokemon stories on Fanfiction. However, I will try my best to give it a unique plot with great characters, but bear with me, as it is my first story. Also, some things will be different then they are in the games (such as Pokemon learning moves that normally require TMs, finding Pokemon that aren't normally on some routes, etc.). Reviews are most certainly welcome, just make any criticism constructive. Anyway, I hope you enjoy_ the _tale that is going to unfold!_

 _ **December 23, 1:26 a.m.**_

For most of the population of Driftveil City, this winter night was like any other. However, some late-night dwellers saw something unusual.

They saw a young woman holding a bundle of blankets, sprinting in an ongoing blizzard. Soon after she passed by, a car traveling at an abnormal speed raced by, presumably tracking the woman down. The women took a hard right, speeding down the street to her destination two blocks away.

"Hold on honey, everything will be okay. Just hold on!" she exclaimed, clutching tighter to the bundle in her arms. Just then, the car drifted into the street and began speeding towards her. She cried out in fear, and quickly sped up, finally reaching the front of the Driftveil Police Station. She sat the bundle down by the door and rapped on it.

"HELP! HELP US!" she screamed, banging on the door as hard as she could. The car stopped in front of the building, and three people wearing all black clothing stepped out of the vehicle, running towards and grabbing the woman, throwing her away from the entrance.

"Hurry up and finish her off, then let's get out of here," one of them said in a deep, gravelly voice. One of his comrades quickly pulled out a silenced pistol, and pointed it at the women. She screamed at the top of her lungs, then was quiet.

"Grab the kid and get in the car!" yelled the killer, who had the voice of a woman. As soon as she finished her exclamation, two cops came barging through the door, both saying "Freeze!" and pulling out their guns.

"Forget the kid, we need to move!" The three murderers quickly stepped into the car and hit the gas, driving away.

"Dammit," one of the cops said, "Did you get a plate number?"

"No. it didn't even have a plate," the other officer said, then noticed the bundle lying on the ground. He hurried over to it. He picked it up and examined the blankets, then lifted the sheets to find bright gray eyes staring back at him.

"It's a baby. I wonder who had it?" the offices inquired. It was then that they noticed the woman lying in the street. "Whoa, come and help me out," he said. The other cop rushed over, and the man sitting over the woman turned and shook his head. She was dead.


	2. Chapter 1: An Adventure Begins

**Chapter 2: An Adventure Begins**

 _Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed the introduction, and I hope it was as strange and cryptic as I wanted it to be. There won't be any action in this chapter, but there will definitely be a battle in the next one. Alright, I'll take this time to answer review(s):_

 _goldensphere: Thanks for being my first ever review! I hope you enjoy what the rest of my story has to offer. Lol yeah the intro does kinda sound like the start of Harry Potter. But I like Harry Potter so it all works out. XD_

 _ **March 9, 12:36 p.m. (15 years later)**_

"Watch out!" A teen with gray eyes and brown hair exclaimed as he ran across the street. Angry pedestrians glared at him as he ran through traffic, wondering how a boy that old didn't know any better, by the truth was, he did. He was running home to tell his friends what happened to him, and was so ecstatic, it gave him tunnel vision.

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He burst through the doors of the Aspertia City Orphanage with a grin stretching from ear to ear as he walked to his room and shoved the door open. Because of his age, he only had to share his room with one other person, one of his best friends since he came here.

"Riley, what's your problem?" said another teen with red hair and green eyes, who was lying on the bottom bunk of their bunk bed, staring up at him in surprise.

"I don't have a problem right now, Adam. In fact, it's the opposite," Riley said. He was hopping around the room checking every detail, as if he would never see the place again.

"Well, what happened to you then?" Adam asked, after sitting up. "Now that you've piqued my interest."

"It isn't what happened to me. It's what happened to us."

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 _"I need new researchers. After the recent discovery of Key Stones in Unova, I decided to start studying the science of Mega Evolution. But to do more extensive research, I need to send more researchers out into the region. If you agree to my request, I'll give you and two of your friends starter pokemon and everything you need to start your adventure, including the Pokedex, of course. What do you say? Riley? Riley Marcy?"_

 _"S-S-Sorry, did you say I could explore Unova?"_

 _"Yes, that is what I said. Is something wrong?"_

 _"No, nothing is wrong. It's just... Why me?"_

 _"I saw you stopping by the lab and looking at the Pokemon enclosure, so I did some research, and I saw potential in you, Riley. I think you have what it takes to explore the world and tackle the problems that are out there."_

 _''Okay, but I already have a Pokemon, so I don't need one of yours. You can save it for another trainer."_

 _"Nonsense, it would be the least I could do for all the help you will provide me with. When should my assistants come to give you your supplies?"_

 _"You can send your assistants now if you'd like. I'll meet you there."_

 _"Then I'll see you later."_

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"Wait, are you serious? Did that actually happen?" Adam asked suspiciously. He knew opportunities like this usually only happen to people that can afford them, and Riley and Adam don't even have jobs.

"I'm serious. Like I said, Professor Juniper thought I had 'potential' and is even giving us free supplies," Riley assured.

"Wow, she must be so desperate that she's picking volunteers, or she has a legitimate reason for picking us, which would be a bit weird," Adam stated bluntly.

"Adam, you definitely have some trust issues. This is _**the**_ Pokemon Professor for Arceus's sake. Just believe me. And before I forget, we need one more person to come with us."

"Well, Riley, you and I make two. Should we ask Brooke?" The redhead inquired. Riley, Adam, and Brooke were the three oldest orphans in the building, and have been best friends for over a decade.

"Yeah, definitely. Could you go tell her to pack? I'm gonna break the news to Kai," Riley asked.

"Sure bro. See you in a minute."

As Adam exited the room, Riley plucked a Pokeball off his bed. He remembered finding Kai as an egg three years ago, abandoned in a thunderstorm. He felt some sort of connection to the unborn creature, as if it was an experience they had shared. He took him back to his room and kept him there for a week before the orphanage Chairman, Daniel Lyons, found out.

It took him forever to get Mr. Lyons to let him keep a Pokemon, but it was worth the months of dishes he had to do. Luckily, he was admitted a permit by the League council that let him keep a registered Pokemon and not be a trainer. ' _Honestly,'_ Riley thought, _'they probably did it out of pity.'_

After Riley finished his reminiscing, he released Kai. The Riolu barked happily at the sight of his trainer. "Guess what buddy? We're finally going to leave Aspertia City! We'll see the region!"

The Riolu was as stunned as his trainer once was. He only gave Riley a look of disbelief.

"Adam thought the same thing, but it's true. I can become a legitimate trainer and we can win the Unova League!" Kai eyes got even wider after hearing those last two words. For years, all Riley would talk about was the League Challenge, and now was their chance to make their dream a reality.

"Alright little dude, I need to get ready to leave, so help me pack." Kai barked and picked up Riley's backpack.

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Adam knocked on the door to Brooke's room. He heard some banging, a crash, and a girl cry out in pain. Then, a girl with black hair tied into a ponytail and electric blue eyes opened the door. She was wearing a white hoodie with purple sleeves, and blue jeans with white and gray boots.

"Hey Adam, what's up?" Brooke asked quickly, as she finished packing her clothing into a bag.

Adam tilted his head to the side and gave Brooke a confused look. "What just happened in there?" Adam questioned.

"Oh yeah. I Just tripped over some of my clothes, but I'm fine."

"Uhhh ok... And why are you getting ready to leave already?" Adam asked.

"Oh, I was passing by your room when I heard Riley talking about his conversation with Juniper. I already expected you would ask me, so I got prepared."

Adam raised his hands. "I guess you got is all figured out, huh? I have to get packed, then we'll get our stuff and get the hell outta dodge."

Brooke giggled, "I know, right? Anyway, see ya soon."

"Yeah, see ya," the sixteen year old said, then walked out.

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When Adam opened the door to their room once again, Riley was gathering his last few things. He changed into his gray bomber jacket and a red shirt under it with tan-colored cargo pants and gray sneakers. "How's Brooke?" He asked.

"She 'overheard' out conversation and assumed she'd be asked, so she's ready to go." Riley shook his head.

"Ah, Brooke has a tendency to assume sometimes, doesn't she? Actually, no, 'sometimes ' would be an understatement." Riley grinned, and Adam nodded his head in agreement.

"You got that right. Anyway, I just need to grab a few things. I was already getting ready to go on a much shorter trip downtown, but I guess we're gonna be gone a bit longer than that, aren't we?" Riley snickered at the sarcastic statement his friend made, then glanced at the clothes Adam chose. He was wearing a black long-sleeved T-shirt with jean shorts and black shoes similar to Riley's.

 _'He will wear shorts in any weather, won't he?'_ Riley smiled at the thought. "Hey man, I'm gonna go to Mr. Lyon's office and break the news. Someone needs to tell him."

"You're right. Well, have fun with that."

"Wish me luck."

Riley stepped outside and began walking toward Mr. Lyons' office. As he approached the door, he took a deep breath to calm himself. Dan Lyons was the kindest man he had ever known, despite his strict nature. It was just dawning upon him that he would be leaving everyone here, from his kind caretaker to the kids that looked up to him. Riley shook his head to clear these thoughts, and opened the door.

"Ah, Riley. What did you come to see me for?" Lyons asked as he glanced up at Riley with a look of inquiry.

"Hello sir. I've come to let you know that Adam, Brooke, and I were recruited by Professor Juniper to go on a journey." He waited for the older man's response. It came almost a minute later.

"Honestly, I knew this day would come. I knew since you saved that Riolu that you're a person that loves Pokemon more than most. I was just waiting for the day that you would ask to leave. And I want to let you know that I will be there for the three of you whenever you need it.

He rose from his chair and offered his hand to Riley, who grasped his hand respectfully.

"Thank you sir. Thanks for everything. When I finish my journey, I promise this will be the first stop I make."

"That would be nice Mr. Marcy. I hope to see you become a strong trainer." Riley nodded his head, then turned towards the door.

"Goodbye sir." And with that Riley walked out the door, and didn't look back.

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Bianca and a young man carrying a large box walked up to the Aspertia City Orphanage. They soon saw three teens standing outside the entrance, obviously anticipating their arrival.

"Hellllllooooo children!" Bianca yelled with a vigorous wave. As she approached the soon-to-be trainers, she did a bit of reminicing.

' _I remember when I was their age, starting a journey with Black and Cheren. Look at us now. Cheren's a gym leader, Black is an ex-Champion, and I'm just an assistant. Oh well! It isn't the worst job out there...'_

Her train of thought was interrupted when the teen in the middle of their group ( _Riley, was it?)_ , asked "Are you Professor Juniper's assistants?"

"Why yes, we are her assistants! My name is Bianca, and this is Geoffry!" She says as she gestures to the man next to her. After her introductions, she asks Geoff to open the box.

"Ok, first of all, we have seven Item Balls each for all the items you collect on your adventures! She says as she passed out 21 Pokeball-like objects with gray shells and red centers, a dial in the middle of each. They also a tiny screen on top of the dial.

"These altered Pokeballs are designed for items, and almost any object can be put in them. However, they don't hold an infinite amount of items, so choose what to take wisely!"

"We also are giving you each 2000 Pokedollars and 10 Pokeballs. Do you know how to use them?" All three teens nodded their heads. "Good. And last but certainly not least, your starter Pokemon!" she yelled in exitement. She never got tired of giving new trainers their first Pokemon.

"In Unova, out starters are Tepig, Snivy, and Oshawott. They're Fire, Grass, and Water types respectively." She threw Pokeballs one at a time, expertly catching them as they bounced back toward her. It was obvious that she knew what she was doing.

"Sooooooo... What will you choose?" She asked while looking at them all eagerly. She also enjoyed seeing what new trainers will pick.

"Riley, you should choose first. After all, none of this would've happened without you," Adam said.

"No way, I have Kai, and I don't have any preferences. Brooke, how about you go first? Ladies first, after all." Riley offered. Brooke jumped on the opportunity.

"Ok thanks! I already know who I'm gonna pick!" she said, Her response far earlier than it should have been. "I choose Snivy!"

The Snivy narrowed her eyes and stared back at her new trainer. Finally, She seemed to shrug and waltzed over to Brooke while bringing the Pokeball to her. Brooke was kind of annoyed at the aloof nature it seemed her first Pokemon had, but she shrugged and picked up the snake.

"Are you ready for what we have in store?" she asked. All she got in response was another shrug. Sighing, Brooke returned Snivy to her ball.

Adam took a step forward, already knowing Riley would turn down the offer to choose next. "Huh... Alright, I've made my choice! I choose you Tepig!" The Fire Pig Pokemon leaped into the oldest teenager's arms, seemingly eager to belong to Adam. This, however, left the final starter, Oshawott, looking dejected as he turned around and drooped his head.

Riley walked over to the Water Type, crouching so he can get eye level with it. "Hey dude, don't feel sad. I lied about not having a preference, I actually wanted you." This made the Oshawott take a literal and metaphorical 180 as he spun around, smiled, and ran up Riley's body, perching on his head.

 _'What_ _should_ _I_ _name_ _you?' Riley thought, 'Hmmm... I got it!'_

"I'll name you Kenji!" His Oshawott considered the idea, then nodded his head. He liked his new name.

"Oh! I almost forgot I have two more items to give you! Here are three Xtransceivers, communication technology made here in Unova! And your Pokedexes, items used to record Pokemon data. You can also view your Pokemons moves and statistics if you're in a battle."

The three trainers gawked at the expensive devices that were given. None of them could believe that this day was happening. At that moment, Bianca spoke again.

"Now I have some advice to give you. While you can find many other ways to get money, battling trainers is the best way to obtain it. And you can train your Pokemon in the process. Speaking of battling, I suggest you train for the Aspertia Gym if you wish to do the League Challenge. There's no way you'll beat the leader without a bit of training." Bianca's words of wisdom sparked an idea in Adam's head.

"Riley, we should battle! I want to see what my first Pokemon can do!" Riley considered the offer, then nodded his head.

"Oh yeah, let's battle right now! Get ready!"

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 _So, did you guys like the first real chapter of this story? I hope so. Please review! I'll take any feedback (if it's not overly offensive). Also, I just wanted to get some real content out, which is why I updated so soon. My normal update time will be every 2-3 weeks (probably). Anyway, I have some questions you can answer in said review:_

 _1) What starter would you choose and why?_

 _2) Any predictions for the trio's future?_

 _3) How are you doing (I hope it's good)? XD_

 _And with that, I will see you guys later!_


	3. Chapter 2: Riley v Adam & Brooke

**Chapter 3: Riley v Adam/ Riley v Brooke**

 _Hey guys, and welcome to the third chapter of Unova Journey! There will be two battles today, albeit short ones. I did try to make battles between level 5 Pokemon as action-packed as possible, but sorry if they're not as exciting as you hoped._

 _Also, for anyone who had problems with the last chapter, this one should be better. I wrote the last chapter in five hours, and considering I took an obviously longer time to update, the quality of this chapter should be slightly better. Now, time to answer reviews:_

 _ShadowDragon9000: I really appreciate the tips you gave me, and I hope you think this chapter is better._

 _Warrior of Hope: Thanks for the tips too. Both of you helped me with revising the last chapter, and even influenced where the story was going (I was planning on using one of my actual Black 2 teams, but in hindsight, they would be WAY too overpowered for the story. Riley will lose occasionally). Btw, sorry about the Riolu thing, and I thought of the perfect replacement after the reviews you sent. However, what's written is written, and I will try to make Riley and Kai's relationship unique, and there is something unique in store for them._

 _bidot23: Thanks for the review, and the helpful tips. Honestly, I appreciate constructive criticism more than praise (although praise is appreciated lol) because it make my chapters better and make me improve as a writer. Also, I realize the tense changes were a problem and will try to keep it past tense from now on._

 _Dynamite3539: Thanks for the review, and it's alright that you took a while. Your guess about the future of the trio was correct btw. I'm glad you like what I have so far, despite its crudeness. There are little to no typos in this chapter, so enjoy!_

 _Ok, after this mini chapter, onto the actual chapter!_

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Riley and Adam gave each other some space, then Adam thrusted his hand forward.

"Go Tepig! We got this!" Adam shouted. Tepig ran into the field, snorting as smoke left his nostrils. Adam quickly reached for his Pokedex and started tapping on it's screen.

Riley grabbed a Pokeball on his belt. "Let's go Kai!" Riley countered as the spherical device left his hand and exploded into a flash of light. Kai took his stance on the battlefield, immediately gauging the situation.

The two Pokemon stared at each other, not daring to blink. The standoff ended with one call.

"Tepig, Ember!" Adam said.

The fiery pig opened his mouth, a glob of burning heat firing out of it.

Riley called out his own command. "Dodge it Kai, and use Quick Attack!" The jackal responded right away, jumping to dodge his opponent's attack, then diving at Tepig straight from the air. Adam frowned as Kai slammed into his starter, causing Tepig to roll across the street, grunting in pain.

"Get up buddy, and use Tackle!" Adam yelled. Tepig got up and ran at his target, smacking the Riolu with his head. Riley winced, feeling Kai's surprise.

"Hit him with another Quick Attack!" Riley said confidently as Kai hopped up and ran towards Tepig again.

Adam tactfully responded. "Hit him with an Ember, Tepig!" Kai and Riley widened their eyes as a fiery ball rocketed towards the Riolu. The attack hit its mark with force, and Kai yelped as flames engulfed him.

Riley quickly issued a counterattack. "Shake it off and use Tackle!" Kai recovered at an astounding rate and used his body to slam into the fiery creature.

Tepig shook his head to and looked back, nodding to Adam. "Okay, finish this with Tackle!"

Riley smirked. "Endure!" The Fighting type braced himself and didn't budge as the Tackle hit. But despite his best efforts, Kai was on his last legs, and Riley knew it.

"Use one last Quick Attack!" Riley ordered. Kai struggled to stand and summoned all of his energy into a final attack, streaks of energy streaming from his body. Tepig hardly had time to blink, much less move as the jackal raced towards him. Kai brought a paw forward and watched it connect with the fire type's jaw, sending Tepig flying into the air.

"Tepig, return!" Adam exclaimed as he zapped his Pokemon out of the air. He knew it was over. However, he look down and grinned.

"How were you so good? You just destroyed us!" Adam said. Riley smiled as he sent his Pokemon into his ball.

"Actually, I've been practicing with Kai at night for a few weeks now. You never know when you'll need a capable battler," Riley said as he looked at Kai's ball and smirked.

Adam glared at his opponent. "That's unfair, and you know it. Oh well, a loss is a loss. Good job dude." Both friends walked towards each other and high-fived.

"Hey, we aren't done here yet! I want to battle too!" Brooke interrupted their exchange as she strolled onto the field. Riley looked at Adam, who gestured back at him.

"Well Riley, you're up again. You're the only one with enough Pokemon to battle us both," Adam said. Riley looked back at Brooke, reinvigorated by more competition.

"Fine Brooke, I'll humor you."

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Riley grabbed the other Pokeball from his belt. "Ok, let's battle! I choose you, Kenji!" The Oshawott ran onto the field, slicing his scalchop through the air while practically hopping with excitement.

"Let's do this Snivy!" Brooke retorted. The grass type narrowed her eyes at the Pokemon opposite of her and took a battle stance.

"Let this battle begin!" Shouted Adam, the referee.

"Snivy, hit Oshawott with Vine Whip!" Vines extended from Snivy's back just before she sent them down onto Kenji. When they hit, the super effective attack slapped him to the ground, face first.

"Kenji, are you okay?" Riley shouted as the Water type slowly rose. He looked back at his trainer with a determined expression. Riley looked down at his Pokedex.

"Now Kenji, retaliate with Leer!" The otter glared at his opponent, unnerving the snake and and making her vulnerable.

"Now hit it with Tackle!" Riley ordered, not wanting to give Brooke a chance to counter.

Kenji ran into Snivy and they both rolled along the ground in a flurry of blue and green.

"Get Kenji off of you and use Tackle!" Brooke exclaimed as her starter escaped from the Oshawott's grip and immediately jumped at him head-first. The attack connected, forcing Kenji backwards.

"Hit Snivy with Water Gun!" Riley commanded his Pokemon, and soon after a concentrated stream of water blasted out of Kenji's mouth. The stream struck Snivy directly, causing her to rise a foot into the air and hit the ground with force. Despite the critical hit, the grass snake got up quickly and shook off a considerable amount of water.

"Good job Snivy! Pick Kenji up with Vine Whip and slam him to the ground!" Brooke yelled triumphantly, playing her type advantage trump card once again.

Snivy tripped Kenji with her vines and tied him in a vice-grip. The grass type lifted her victim high in the air and shoved him to the ground. When the dust cleared, Kenji was obviously out cold.

"Kenji is unable to battle! Brooke wins!" Adam said as Brooke began a victory dance.

"Great effort Kenji, now return." Riley said, and smiled dryly at his first defeat.

 _I knew from the beginning that it was a losing battle. Brooke had the type advantage, of course. I hope Kenji isn't too discouraged… The worst part of this battle is that Brooke will never let me live it down._ Riley thought.

"Yeah! Get wrecked Riley, you have nothing on my skills!" Brooke shouted as she walked up to Riley, doing exactly as he predicted.

"Good battle Brooke. Next time we fight, my Pokemon probably won't be vulnerable to yours." Riley smiled as he said that. He hadn't won the battle, but he won the war. Brooke's face turned almost as red as Tepig.

"W-We'll see about that! I'm leaving! I have a gym battle to win!" Brooke stuttered, then stormed off. Adam shook his head, then turned to Riley.

"Nice job bro. You and Kenji fought well considering the disadvantage," Adam stated as they fist bumped.

Suddenly, Bianca chimed in, making the boys jump. "Those were two of the greatest battles I've ever seen from beginning trainers! You all obviously have potential, and I wish you all luck in your journeys." The boys thanked Bianca as she walked off.

Riley looked around. "I guess we should get started. You already know I'm gonna leave and train. What about you?" Riley inquired.

Adam was in deep thought for a minute before stating, "I don't know yet. I'll go with you, but I'm not quite sure if the Unova League is for me." Riley nodded his head in understanding.

"I get it. We can head to Flocessy Town, maybe catch some new Pokemon, then I'll challenge Cheren," Riley relayed his plan, but Adam shook his head.

"We can't leave before we go to the Lookout. Brooke's probably there right now," Adam replied. Riley smacked his forehead. He almost forgot the most important tradition in Aspertia City. Every aspiring Trainer had to visit the Aspertia Lookout before leaving to start their adventure.

"Ok, we'll see the Lookout, _then_ go to Flocessy Town. And we'll train on the way." Riley said. Adam nodded in agreement.

"Let's go."

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The two young men stood at the edge of the Lookout, staring at the path ahead of the city. This was the reason coming to the Lookout was a tradition for new trainers in Aspertia City. It was the perfect spot to reflect on past memories, and to look towards the future.

"You know, I never get tired of coming here," Riley said. While most people went there to see the view of the city, Adam and Riley chose to look to the future.

"Yeah, it's really the only place to get away from the craziness of the city. It's a shock this place isn't clogged with tourists." Adam said. They stared out for a while longer, then pulled away, taking a glance back at their hometown. Aspertia City didn't have any skyscrapers, but it sprawled outwards and had almost as much traffic as Castelia City. From the northern vantage point of the Lookout, they could see the entirety of the city, including the Gym Riley was soon to challenge.

"Looking down at the city really brings back memories, ya know?" Adam inquired.

"You were always the sentimental type. I, on the other hand, want to leave and get our journey started ASAP." Riley said. Adam laughed and slugged his friend in the arm.

"Okay, fine. Let's go." Adam snapped in mock anger, making Riley grin. With that, Riley and Adam began their descent, and the start of their journey.

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 _And that's a wrap! If you thought this chapter was too short, let me know. The next one will definitely be longer. This arc should last 2 to 3 more chapters, and hopefully a Gym victory for Riley (and Brooke)! I'll post Riley's team at the end of most chapters, and may even post Adam and Brooke's teams occasionally. But first, some questions:_

 _1\. What will Riley's next teammate be?_

 _2\. Did you think the battles were written well (for the sake of future battles, I want to know what I may have done wrong)?_

 _Riley's Team:_

 _Kai (Riolu): Moves: Tackle, Quick Attack, Endure_

 _Kenji (Oshawott): Moves: Tackle, Leer, Water Gun_


	4. Chapter 3: Wisdom

_Hello, and welcome to Chapter 4! Sorry for the longer-than-usual update time, but when you have a life, it can get busy. I'm sure you all can understand. Anywho, in this chapter, Riley will discover more about his mysterious past, and they'll meet another major character from the games. Now, time to answer reviews:_

 _Shadow Dragon9000: Thanks for the review once again! I appreciate the criticism, and I'm really studying battles that you and other authors have written to try and become better at writing them myself. This chapter won't have any major battles, but that doesn't mean it won't be intense by any means! XD_

 _bidot123: Thanks a ton for the review. The battling advice will help me in the future. And I'm really glad that I'm way ahead of the status quo for beginning writers. I've strived for the first story I've ever written to be a good one, and I couldn't do it without the advice of more experienced writers (I kind of just recited the theme of this chapter lol)._

 _megan77897: 1) Getting a shiny starter would be pretty awesome, and shiny Snivy is a great shiny. 2) A shiny Purrloin, huh? That's an interesting prospect, and we'll see what happens. 3) I hope you're still having a great day a month later._

 _This chapter will be a bIt different. It'll be in Riley's POV because I thought that was the best way to write this chapter. I hope you like it!_

 _And now, onto the chapter!_

 _ **Chapter 4: Wisdom**_

Adam and I had made our way through Route 19 with relative ease. Not only was it the shortest route in the Unova Region, but most Pokemon on early routes chose to run away instead of fight. However, we found one brave Patrat that jumped out of the trees and hissed at us.

When Adam asked if I wanted to fight it I shook my head.

I said no because, to be brutally honest, that Patrat wouldn't really have seen the light of day. Patrat aren't generally battle Pokemon, so I wouldn't use it most of the time. Why should I take a creature away from its home just to store it in a PC? When I caught a Pokemon, I was gonna keep it until the end. That's my philosophy. People who want to "catch 'em all" are just taking innocent 'Mons away.

Anyway, Adam nodded and began his battle against the Patrat. After a short fight, it became his next teammate.

Adam and I continued toward Flocessy Town, where we stood in front of the door to a small house.

The home was like any other in the town, a small log cabin with two simple windows on the front side. It was hidden under the shadow of Flocessy's huge clock tower, the symbol of the village.

I knocked on the cabin door and Adam patiently waited. If you asked any foreigner whose house this was, they would never guess it was the home of a retired Champion.

After a few moments, Alder opened the door. He was dressed just like the old battlevids showed, with long red hair tied behind his head and golden tips spanning the top of his head and on the end of his ponytail. We could easily spot the gray streaks on his head though. He wore his classic poncho with a brown shirt underneath, beige shorts and sandals making up the lower half of his body.

We bowed in the Pokemon Master's presence. This legendary man had been Champion for more than three decades before being defeated by his successor, Black. There were rumors that his partner, Volcarona, had a godlike amount of firepower, possibly rivalling Reshiram. Alder was either too modest to admit it, or he was smart enough not to invoke the wrath of a veritable god.

After a moment, Alder finally spoke in a deep baritone. "Ah, you two must be Riley Marcy and Adam Smith. Professor Juniper told me to expect you. Wasn't there a third member of your group? Brooke Thomas, was it?"

"Yes sir, but she decided to go to Flocessy Ranch and train for her upcoming Gym battle," Adam said.

Alder nodded. "The Gym Circuit is a far cry from an easy challenge. I understand her decision completely. Now, why don't you come in? I have plenty to share with both of you," Alder replied as he stepped to the side, allowing us to walk in.

The inside of his home, too, was simple. It only contained a small dresser and a futon in the back corner of the house. On the dresser was a picture of Alder and a boy that looked similar to him holding a Gym badge. The only other items in the place were a small camp stove and four mats, the kind used for meditation.

Alder sat down on one of the mats, crossing his legs and placing his hands on his thighs. Adam and I sat on two of the other mats and copied his position.

Alder sat still for several moments with closed eyes, as if he was meditating. His eyes were still closed when he spoke up. "I know why it is you came here. You both wish to know if you have what it takes to become trainers. And I am sure you know that I give a trial to any trainer who wants to prove their worth. So I'll cut to the chase. Adam, you will come with me and battle two of my disciples." Adam nodded, then said yes when he noticed Alders eyes were still closed.

Alder suddenly opened his eyes and made direct eye contact with me. "I have a much different quest for you. Travel to Pledge Grove and collect a special item. Trust me when I say that you will know what it is when you find it. Once you have found said item, return to this house and report your experience."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Of all the trials Alder put Trainers through, I had never heard of anything like this. I forced down my surprise and put on a mask of confidence.

"Thank you sir. I'll do my best," I said as I stood, bowed once again, and walked out of the house.

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The walk to Pledge Grove was short, but it felt like hours. All Alder's request did was fill my mind with questions.

When I finally reached my destination, none of my questions were answered. Instead, I looked at the long path to Pledge Grove. I estimated that it would take me an hour to get to the end. Once I checked my supplies, I took a deep breath and ventured into the woods ahead.

I had researched those woods on my way to the forest, trying to find out why Alder would send me there specifically. I was relieved to learn that the strongest Pokemon there was the occasional Riolu. Unless you considered the Swords of Justice. The Grove is sacred to the group. The only connection to the trial and the location that I could think of at the time was the Swords. Other than that, I had absolutely no answers as to why I had to go there.

After what seemed like an a long period of silence and walking, I heard leaves rustling above me. Suddenly, a Pineco fell out of a tree. My eyes widened. I sprinted into the forest as if my life depended on it, which it did. An explosion soon rocked even the trees to their core.

After everything settled down, I glanced behind me to find another Pineco drop. Then another. And another. I sped up once again and thought about my ordeal. Pineco usually started to fall during winter, and only in winter, which was why I wasn't prepared for the damn bagworms. While it wasn't completely uncommon for one to fall during other seasons, several falling at once during the spring was unheard of.

I kept sprinting as several explosions made the forest and all its inhabitants tremble. The force of the blasts knocked me onto the ground, and the breath was pushed out of my lungs.

Once I could breathe again, I looked behind me. A few trees had fallen onto the path, and charred spots on the forest floor were what was left of the Pineco.

' _Was that part of my trial? Or just a bad coincidence?'_ I thought. As soon as I got up, I checked the trees for any sign of more exploding bugs. Once I confirmed that I was safe, I continued my trek. I knew that no matter what obstacle got in his way, I would make it to the end.

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The rest of the walk was uneventful. I had the opportunity to catch a few Sewaddle and a Pansage, but I wasn't interested in catching them.

As I reached the end of the path, I stopped. The forest had gone silent, the usual chirps of the Pidove or the skittering of Minccino were gone. My hair stood on end as I approached Pledge Grove.

I walked into a clearing and saw the Swords Stone, a gigantic boulder with had four perfect lines crossing its front. The slashes were reported to come from the Swords of Justice themselves. Legends say that marking the rock was their rite of passage.

I walked towards the rock and reached for it, but hesitated. I saw a glimmer of light to my left. As I approached it, I stopped and stared in shock at the object that was obviously left for me.

I was stunned to find one of the revered Key Stones, which were told to trigger Mega Evolution. I ran over and picked up the stone, finding out that it was attached to a chain, as if it was a pendant. I rotated the necklace and found a tiny indent in the metal backing of the object.

I pried the locket open and found a picture of a woman right behind the Key Stone. A picture was obviously supposed to be on the right side, but it was missing.

I closely examined the woman in the picture. She looked young, possibly in her mid twenties. She had curly brown hair and bright blue eyes, and had an infant in her arms. A boy with gray eyes.

Suddenly, something snapped in me. Tears began to well in my eyes as I looked at my mother. For the first time in my life, I mourned the parent I never had. I sat there for what seemed like an eternity, suddenly losing the drive I once had.

"This isn't what Mom would want Riley. Snap out of it!" I shouted, breaking my stupor. I wiped the tears from my eyes and steeled my emotions.

I draped the pendant around his neck and walked towards the Sacred Stone, finding the sharpest stone I could. Then, I carved my initials deep into the rock as a monument of my first real lesson as a Trainer. Sacrifice and loss were part of the job. I took one last look at my surroundings and began my trip back.

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Once again, I stood at the front of Alder's house. I opened the door to find Adam and Alder seemingly meditating on the mats. Adam shot up at the sound of the door, but Alder kept his position.

Adam was far too eager for my arrival. He probably got bored a while before I came. "Hey dude! How did it go? What did you find? Whoa, is that a Key St-"

"Adam!" Alder snapped. "Please leave so I can speak with Riley privately." Adam's expression turned stoic as he nodded at the Ex-Champion and left.

"Mr. Marcy, please tell me the details of your trip," Alder requested. I told him almost all of the story, but didn't mention the picture inside the locket. I didn't think it was relevant.

"I'm sure you still have plenty of questions after today's events. Feel free to ask," Alder said.

"How did you know about the Key Stone? And were the Pineco part of the trial?" I asked.

"First of all, the Pinecos' falling was completely unintentional. However, if you think about it, it made your task that much more rewarding, didn't it? Actually, I didn't know what you would find in the Grove either. I knew there was something there because I sensed something in you. An unknown past that you crave answers for. I also sensed what your first step to solving this mystery would be. After this, the rest of your quest will be yours to solve. Do you understand?"

I didn't bother to hide my shock that time. "So this entire trial wasn't your idea?"

"No. But there is is something you should know. There is a different aura around you, Riley. I have not seen an aura like yours since… That's not important. What is important is that you continue your adventure. Even I don't fully know where it will take you."

"Okay, and what is my aura, exactly?"

Alder paused for a moment, then said, "I suggest you head to Flocessy Ranch to train for your battle, like your friend. Some training will give you an definite advantage."

I noticed the blatant attempt to avoid my question and decided that he wasn't going to answer it.

"Thank you sir. I'll take your advice and train. I'll be seeing you," I said. Alder said his farewells as I stepped outside. Of course, Adam was waiting there to greet me.

"Since I know better than to ask what he said to you, are you ready to go battle Cheren?" Adam asked.

"I'll go to Flocessy Ranch and train first, Brooke has probably beaten us to it, so let's hurry," I said. And with that, Adam and I went to train for my first Gym challenge.

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 _And finished! I hope you all liked the new angle. Send me a PM or review if you think I should do stuff like that in the future. That was more of a personal chapter for Riley, but there will be much more action in the next chapter. If you want to see Riley's team, head back to chapter 3, because it didn't really change. Since the question wasn't really answered last time, I'll ask it again:_

 _1) Who do you think Riley's next teammate will be?_

 _And with that, I'll see you guys later!_


	5. Chapter 4: Riley v Cheren

**Hello all, and welcome to Chapter 4! As you could see from the title, Riley's first Gym battle is here! Will he win, or will he see defeat for the second time in his journey?**

 **Anyway, enough suspense buildup. I want to give you guys a sincere apology. I know I haven't updated in 3 months, but life and school took priority. With my summer vacation beginning next week, I should be updating on schedule again, or maybe even earlier than normal. All I know is that this unofficial hiatus is (hopefully) over.**

 **And now, onto the story!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Riley v. Cheren**

Once again, Riley and Adam stood outside the gate to Aspertia City. They felt relieved to finally see the welcoming sight of their city after the rigorous training they had done over the past two days. Finally, Riley was finally ready to put his fledgling battling skills to the ultimate test. Of course, his experience in Pledge Grove still haunted him. The image of his late mother remained in his head and refused to leave, and it didn't help that said image was hanging from his neck under his shirt. However, he was forced to brush the distracting feelings away. After all, he had a Gym Battle to win.

Releasing himself from his stupor, he gestured toward Adam. "Alright, let's heal our teams and get to the Gym, shall we?" Riley asked. Adam nodded, and the two teenagers headed in the Pokemon Center's direction.

Adam and Riley walked in silence, savoring the city sights and reminiscing all the while. The stout stone buildings of the city varied in color, but their age was apparent. Aspertia was an old city, that was for certain. Riley looked toward the sky and basked in the bright spring sun while breathing in the surprisingly clean city air. The stench of Virbank City's pollution and industry never reached them this high in the mountains of southeast Unova.

Riley eventually exhaled and looked at the site of his first major battle. The Gym was one of the tallest buildings in the city, and Riley could see it from halfway across the city. The Aspertia Gym doubled as a Gym and the biggest school in Unova, possibly in the world. It provided education for thousands of students, from preschool to college. In fact, the city itself was built around the ancient school, making Aspertia itself its campus. Riley fondly remembered Adam, Brooke, and himself graduating the school's Trainer program at the top of their class.

Adam lightly elbowed Riley's shoulder as they approached the Pokemon Center, which indefinitely stood out with its bright orange walls and odd structure. Of course, the Center was exactly the same as most others in Unova, with a licensed Nurse Joy and her Audino assistants helping her. Behind Nurse Joy was the healing machine, which could deal with most wounds caused by battle, and then there were the intensive care rooms. They were for wild Pokemon fights, which were often violent and bloody, or for Trainers' Pokemon that were hurt in more intense battles.

To the right of the central care section was a Pokemart, and to the left was a set of stairs and an elevator, both heading towards the housing and training facility. Fortunately, the Trainer Affordability Act passed by the Pokemon League made all Pokemon Center facilities free of charge, and the goods at Pokemarts much cheaper for Trainers.

Adam and Riley offered their Pokeballs to an Audino who was pushing a cart, and it walked away. They then sat and waited for their freshly healed teammates to arrive.

"So, what's your strategy for the battle?" Adam asked, giving Riley a quizzical look.

"You will have to wait and see, my friend. And besides, how can I possibly plan for a random lineup of Pokemon?" Riley inquired.

"You'll find a way man. You always do. Besides, you've been studying and preparing for this battle for years. I'm sure you've got Cheren all but figured out by now."

"Adam, he's a teacher. His job is to adapt to the subject the student needs to learn and to the student themselves. I've talked to dozens of people about this battle, and their stories are different. The only advantage I have is that I know he's going to use Normal types."

"Perfect! Your partner's a fucking Fighting type. You have this in the bag!"

Riley nodded, but the pep talk did not fight off his nerves. After a few more minutes of waiting, another Audino walked in with their Pokemon. Riley and Adam took their Pokemon from the tray, thanked the kind Pokemon, and headed towards the door.

As they were exiting the Center, Brooke dashed through the automatic doors, knocking Riley over in the process.

"Ah! Brooke, what's the rush!?" Riley snapped as he rose. Brooke turned around sporting an ear-to-ear grin. Her grin spread impossibly wide as she showed her friends the Aspertia City Gym Badge. It was brown with a golden frame, and looked reminiscent to the spine of a book. Riley's eyes practically popped out of his skull while Adam only smirked.

"That Gym was a piece of cake! Cheren's Pokemon were no match for my awesome team! I would stay and talk, but I have things to attend to. And Riley? I can't wait to hear about your loss!" Brooke sniggered as she walked away from the boys. Adam looked towards Riley and shook his head when he saw him fuming with anger.

"Let's go Adam. I have a Gym battle to win," Riley growled with clenched teeth, all the while staring daggers at Brooke. With that, they turned and continued toward the Gym and didn't look back.

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As Adam and Riley headed towards the Gym, they once again drank in the sight of their city, knowing that they wouldn't see it again for a long time. Riley pointed to a building to their right.

"Hey, we should visit Gray's house one more time. For good luck," he said.

Adam sighed and nodded, knowing that arguing would be a fruitless venture. "Okay, fine. But I don't understand what the deal of that place is. It's only a museum."

"You know it means more to me than that. And it should for you too. C'mon, let's go," Riley ushered Adam down the street at a brisk pace.

The building in question may have once been one of the many identical houses in suburban Aspertia, with red brick walls and a contrasting blue roof, and but it had been obviously expanded to almost triple its original size. There was a sign on the front yard that read "Aspertia City Museum of Pokemon League History."

Riley stared at the once-normal house and memories both good and bad flooded his mind.

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 _ **7 years ago:**_

 _A little boy huffed as he ran down the street. He dared to catch a glance behind him and noticed that he had not shook his pursuers. He turned and sprinted down an alley, scattering a flock of Pidove that were resting. A few Pidove knocked his feet out from under him and he fell, which knocked the wind from his lungs. As soon as he got up, a teen at least double his age and size shoved him against the alley wall. The teen's friends soon joined him and surrounded the boy._

" _Nice try, kid! You think you can escape from us, you little orphan 'tard!" he shouted, throwing the child to the ground. The teens reared the legs, and the boy prepared for the beating he was about to receive._

" _Stop picking on the kid, you sadistic assholes!" cried another teen from the other side of the alley. He was wearing a blue T-shirt with beige khaki shorts and a red visor over his auburn hair, his dark eyes glimmering with anger and a scowl painted onto his face. Standing next to the him was a large Mightyena, who bared its yellowing teeth and growled ferociously at the three bullies. Their eyes widened and they ran off, screaming all the way. The mysterious teen grinned and walked toward the boy._

" _Okay buddy, it's all clear. By the way, the name's Nate, but everyone calls me Gray," he said. The boy cautiously glanced upwards and noticed Gray was holding out a hand. He took it, and Gray lifted him up. It was then that the boy noticed the wolf-like Pokemon next to Gray and yelped._

" _Hey man, don't be scared," Gray said. He turned toward his Mightyena. "You can quit now! You're scaring the poor kid!"_

 _The Mightyena smiled and made a noise that sounded similar to a human snicker, and was suddenly enveloped in a purple light. Once the strange aura evaporated, what was once a Mightyena became a small black fox with a red tuft of fur on its head._

" _Say hello to Zorua… I didn't catch your name, little guy."_

 _The boy knelt down and scratched Zorua behind its ears. "My name's Riley."_

" _Ok, Riley. Let's to get you home, shall we?" Gray asked. Riley petted Zorua for a moment longer, then stood and followed Gray out of the alley._

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Riley inwardly smiled at the memory as Adam and him walked towards the museum.

They were relieved to find that it wasn't choked with tourists and entered the building. Once inside, Adam and Riley inspected the museum despite having been there several times before. On the first floor, there were plaques describing the various Pokemon Leagues of all regions and a translucent timeline of the Pokemon League's inception covering the back wall of the room. They noticed a woman with auburn hair and blue eyes standing by the entrance. She was sporting brown pants and a white shirt, and was also wearing a blue apron that had the museum name written on the front assorted contained pamphlets and other items.

She gave the teens a cheerful smile and waved. "Hello boys! What can I do for you?" she asked.

Riley waved back and mirrored her smile. "Hey Ms. Shaw! Is Gray in town?"

She shook her head and said, "No, unfortunately not. Nate's scheduled to fight two challengers today. The life of a Champion is far too busy, in my opinion. What are you boys up to?"

"Actually, we got our Trainer licenses a few days ago. I wanted to see if I could talk to Gray before my first Gym battle," Riley said.

Ms. Shaw beamed at the news and gave both boys a hug. "That's wonderful! I'm so proud of the both of you! In that case, I have something for you, Riley, if you want to come with me."

Riley gave Mrs. Shaw a questioning look but followed her nonetheless. They turned and walked up a flight of stairs, leaving Adam to wander the museum. Riley followed Ms. Shaw past three more flights of stairs, eventually reaching a locked door. Ms. Shaw fished out a key from her apron pocket and opened the entrance.

As Riley entered the room, he smiled with nostalgia at the sight of Gray's home. In actuality, it was three stories above their old home, but when Gray and his mother offered to turn their house into a Pokemon League museum, his mother decided to remodel the top floors to make it look exactly like their old house. Mrs. Shaw and Riley walked into the living room, which was relatively small with a couple of couches, a television set, and a coffee table making up its contents.

Ms. Shaw kept walking until they reached Gray's room, where a bed laid in the northwestern corner. Across from the bed, there was a desk with a computer connected to a Pokemon Storage Transfer System, which converted digitized Pokemon stored in Bill's PC storage system into their Pokeballs once again, or vice-versa. On the walls, there were several posters and pictures depicting an assortment of things, but a couple items caught Riley's eye. On the wall above Gray's bed hung a framed case full of eight Unovan Gym badges and a shelf that held a Pokemon World Tournament Runner-up trophy. Next to those hung a picture of Riley and six fully evolved, seemingly powerful Pokemon.

"Gray went a long way, didn't he?" Riley asked.

"Yes, he truly did. You know all about the media storm that arose when he defeated Iris. After Alder's four decade reign over the Unova League, there were three new Champions within seven years." Ms. Shaw gestured to a framed newspaper clipping. The headline read: _"Pokemon League Champion Iris Defeated in a Stunning Battle!"_

Riley approached the picture of Riley and his Championship team, but was interrupted by Ms. Shaw tapping his shoulder.

"Would you like your gift from Nate, or would you rather sightsee?" Ms. Shaw asked. Riley shook his head vigorously and turned toward her.

Ms. Shaw then reached under Gray's bed and pulled out a glass case that contained a with a white egg with blue and red triangles lying inside.

"Riley, take it. It's yours," Ms. Shaw said while handing it to Riley, who only stared at the object in awe.

"The last time Gray visited, he asked me to hold onto it for you until you became a Trainer. He also told me that the Pokemon inside was pretty rare in Unova, and that it would be perfect addition to your team," she said. "Also, that egg's been here for a little while. It should be hatching any day now," she added. Riley could only stare at the unborn creature in his arms, unable to form any words to express his gratitude.

After a few moments, Riley finally reacted and took an Item Ball from his bag. He turned the dial until an pixelated image of an egg was displayed on the small screen. He then recalled the incubator into the ball and returned it to his bag, finally addressing Ms. Shaw. "Th-this is the best thing I've ever been given. I couldn't be more thankful."

"Gray asked me to tell you this; make it to the Championship, and fight him with everything you have. It may sound cliché, but he's seen potential in you Riley, and so have I. Always fight, and never quit, no matter what stands in your way." Ms. Shaw exclaimed, catching Riley in another embrace. When she finally let go, he nodded.

"Wish me luck," Riley said, the fire of determination in his eyes once again. And with that, Riley walked out of the house, down the stairs, and out of the museum with Adam back at his side.

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Riley and Adam made their way to the Gym, and now wandered the almost labyrinthine halls while making their way toward the battlefield. When Cheren made the school-gym combination six years prior, he did not put any money into the grandeur of his Gym, unlike the dozens of others built before his. In fact, his "Gym" was only one of the school battlefields in their battling facility. Fortunately, Riley and Adam remembered where the battling facility was, and opened the double doors leading to the arenas.

There were three standard battle arenas painted onto the dirt floor of the facility, all but one hosting different battles. In the one closest to Riley and Adam, two preschoolers fought a simple battle against their Sewaddle and Mareep. Further down, two Trainers around Riley and Adams' ages fought a more heated battle, with a Palpitoad spit a powerful Water Pulse at a bulky Gurdurr. The third arena, however, was empty. Riley and Adam walked a wide berth around the ongoing battles and made their way to a platform near the third battlefield. Standing upon the platform was a tall young man with jet black hair and dull eyes that seemed to carefully calculate the battles unfolding below him. He wore a simple white dress shirt, beige slacks, and black loafers, encapsulating the school headmaster look nicely.

As they approached the platform, Cheren turned toward the boys and sighed. "I suppose one of you is here for a challenge, am I correct?"

Riley stepped forward. "Yes sir. I'm Riley Marcy from Aspertia City, and I formally challenge you for my first badge!"

Cheren shook his head. "What is with you kids and dramatizing these battles?" he drawled, then gestured to the empty battlefield. "Okay then, step onto the field and let's get this started." At first, Riley raised an eyebrow in confusion, but nodded and walked to his side of the field while taking a deep breath in mental preparation. Meanwhile, Cheren called over a referee and stepped down from the platform. Students began to excitedly gather around the field once they noticed the beginnings of a Gym Challenge.

"This will be a two-on-two battle, and the first Trainer without available Pokemon will lose. You may make substitutions whenever necessary, I however, may not. Do you understand these rules?" Cheren recited dulley, as if he has had to say the words several times before. Riley nodded and selected a Pokeball from his belt.

The referee quickly raised the flags at his sides. "Let this Gym battle commence!"

"Go Patrat!" Cheren called out while tossing the Pokeball in his hand. The Normal type chittered and crouched on all fours.

"Let's win this Kai!" Riley shouted, throwing his own ball and summoning his starter. Kai howled and took his battle stance.

"Use Quick Attack Kai!" Riley said. Kai responded by charged forward while streaks of white energy peeled off of his body.

"Patrat, dodge and use Work Up!" Cheren commanded just in time for Patrat to roll out of the way. Suddenly, Patrat was enveloped in a red aura, and began to squeak and chitter in rage. It charged toward Kai unexpectedly and Tackled the canine, knocking him across the field to Riley's feet.

"What the hell was that?!" Riley thought out loud.

Cheren smirked. "It's called Work Up. It raises the physical attack of the Pokemon that uses it. I suggest you brush up on your knowledge of moves if you want to succeed in any battle," he said matter-of-factly. Riley visibly took offense to the insult, but shook his head. He needed to stay focused on the battle, not on trash talk. Kai finally rose and jumped back into the battle while Riley came up with a plan.

After a few moments, neither Trainer had made a call. Kai looked back at Riley in confusion, and Cheren raised an eyebrow. "I've given you enough time to stall," Cheren said. "Patrat, use Work Up, then Bite!

Once again, Patrat enveloped itself in a red aura, then charged toward Kai, its mouth dripping with dark energy.

Seconds before Patrat's attack landed, Riley shouted "Counter!"

Cheren's eyes widened as he tried to call for his Pokemon's retreat, but it was far too late. Kai ducked under Patrat's supercharged Bite attack and used his newfound leverage to knock Patrat into the air with a super-effective uppercut. Without a command from Riley, Kai used Quick Attack, hopping up to Patrat's level and proceeding to spike it to the ground, not unlike a volleyball.

When Patrat didn't get up, the referee raised his right flag. "Patrat is unable to battle! The first round goes to the Challenger!" The crowd roared in excitement, and Riley grinned. The first half of the Gym Battle was his. Kai had hardly taken any damage, that was evident by the amount of energy he still displayed on the field.

"I have to commend you for that tactic, but it was an error on my part. That will _not_ happen again," Cheren said, anger dripping from his words. The battle just became serious.

Cheren carefully chose his next Pokemon, and threw it Pokeball into the air. "I choose you, Pidove!"

Riley face remained indifferent, but that was only a facade to mask his true panic. _Fuck! A Flying-Type! I'll have to be careful…_ Riley thought.

This time, Cheren initiated the battle. "Hit the Riolu with a Gust attack!" Pidove flapped its small wings with such force that it generated wind strong enough to lift Kai off his feet, forcing him off-balance. Pidove followed up with a Peck that caught Kai directly. Both super-effective attacks left Kai struggling to get up.

"No! Get up, Kai, you can do this!" Riley shouted at his weakened partner. Despite his new injuries, Kai rose and nodded to Riley. The action made some of Riley's panic subside, but certainly not all of it. He sensed someone looking directly at him, and glanced to his left to find Adam standing at the front of the roaring crowd, a stoic look on his face. Quickly, he mouthed " _Give 'em hell."_ It was all the encouragement Riley needed.

"Kai, charge with Quick Attack and then use Tackle!" The Fighting-Type responded with vigor and rushed at his opponent with all of the energy he had left.

"I apologize Mr. Marcy, but It won't be enough! Finish this by using Work Up, then Quick Attack!" Cheren's Pidove did as its Trainer commanded, enveloping itself in an aggressive red aura and rushing forward with its own speedy attack. When Kai and Pidove were only two feet apart, Pidove swerved, dodging Kai's charge entirely. It then spun around and smacked Kai with its attack. Kai hit the ground, hard, and rolled to Cheren's side of the field.

"No! Damnit Kai, get up!" Riley yelled desperately. However, Riley's calls went unheard. Kai was done. The referee rose his left flag.

"The challenger's Pokemon is unable to battle! Gym Leader Cheren wins this round!" Riley recalled his Pokemon, giving the ball a sad smile and clipping it to his belt.

Meanwhile, Cheren was smiling his own smile that was decidedly not-so-sad and said, "To win a Pokemon battle, you must land an attack on your opponent. Send out your next Pokemon, Mr. Marcy.

Riley suddenly felt like giving his ex-headmaster a certain rude gesture, but shook his head and threw his last Pokemon into battle. Kenji the Oshawott immediately read the situation and began basking in the attention it was receiving. Riley snapped his fingers to get the Water-Type's attention. "You need to focus, Kenji. Pidove is his last Pokemon, and it's been fighting for a while. Just listen and we can do this, okay?" Kenji nodded affirmatively, and suddenly narrowed his eyes and pointed his scalchop at his opponent.

"Okay Kenji! Hit Pidove with a Water Gun!" The otter responded with a spout of water that came out of his mouth and struck Cheren's Pidove. The sudden jet of water made Pidove fall to the ground, giving Riley his next opportunity.

"Move in and use Razor Shell!" Riley commanded, and Kenji moved in for what could be a devastating blow.

"Pidove, fly into the air and use Peck!" Cheren shouted. The Normal Type fluttered onto its feet, then flew high into the air. Once Pidove stopped its ascent, it turned completely around and started falling toward Kenji.

Riley grimaced at Cheren's strategy. Kenji couldn't do much to avoid the impact, Pidove would maneuver out of the way, and Kenji couldn't dodge it, he just didn't have the speed. As Pidove got closer and closer, Kenji began to panic and Riley racked his brain for a plan. Suddenly, a grin spread across his face.

"Kenji, throw your scalchop at Pidove!" Kenji obeyed Riley's command, but Pidove skillfully dodged the attack.

"What kind of plan is throwing away your best offensive tactic?" Cheren asked in genuine confusion. All Riley did in response was hold up three fingers. Then two. Then one.

Cheren called for Pidove to dodge, but once again, he was too late. Kenji's scalchop careened into Pidove's body, and its dive was interrupted. Pidove fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust in the process. When the dust cleared, Pidove had not risen. The battle was over.

The referee raised his right flag yet again. "Pidove is unable to battle!" he then pointed both flags to the right side of the battlefield. "The victor of the Gym Battle is Riley Marcy of Aspertia City!"

The crowd roared in excitement while Riley's jaw hung open, speechless. Meanwhile, Cheren recalled his Pokemon and made his way across the field as the crowd began to disperse.

When Cheren reached the young Trainer, he took an object out of his pants pocket and offered it to Riley. The Basic Badge glowed in the light of the approaching sunset and looked exactly like the copy Brooke had received. For the second time of the day, Riley was too shocked to form words. When he finally regained his ability to move and speak, he took the badge.

"Thank you."

"No Riley, thank you. Despite my comments, you battled with skill and determination I've never seen before in a first-badge challenger. This will certainly be a battle I will remember for the foreseeable future."

The only response Riley could give was a gratuitous nod. With that, he bade the Gym Leader goodbye and merged with what was left of the exiting crowd.

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Adam and Riley exited the Pokemon Center for a second time that day after Riley healed his Pokemon. "What's the plan now, Champ-in-the-making?" Adam inquired.

"I vote that we head to Virbank City. I'll fight the Gym Leader and we can take a ship to the mainland. And we can catch some new Pokemon along the way," Adam nodded at the plan, but he had a troubled look on his face all the same.

"What is it Adam?"

"About that plan… I completely support your goal, and Brooke's too, but I don't know why I'm going on this journey. I think I need to go out on my own for awhile, I need to find my own goal. Does that sound weird to you?"

Riley was silent for a few moments, then said, "I think I understand, and I'm absolutely okay with it. If you want to find me, you know where I'm headed. I hope you find what you're looking for, man." They shared a fist bump, which was their highest form of showing affection, and Riley walked away. He didn't know what faced him as he journeyed into the unknown, but his goals were clear, and nothing would stand in his way.

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 **Wow, Chapter 5 is finished! I hope you all like it, and again, I'm sorry for the delay, but with my life becoming slightly less chaotic, I should be updating normally again. Thank you for reading, and I please send me all the reviews and PMs you want!**

 _ **Riley's Team:**_

 _ **Kai (Riolu): Level 13**_

 _ **Moves: Tackle, Quick Attack, Counter, Endure**_

 _ **Kenji (Oshawott): Level 12**_

 _ **Moves: Water Gun, Leer, Razor Shell, Tackle**_


	6. Chapter 5: Alone Together

**Hey guys, welcome to Chapter 5! Aaayyyy it's my 16th birthday! I was gonna update sooner, but I just really wanted to update today, I don't know why, just roll with it(:**

 **Like I said before, I had school and life to prioritize over writing, and I've been just as busy all summer. But I'm back, so thanks for staying with me, I really appreciate it.**

 **And I changed the title! I know it was boring and generic, so I changed it to something cooler and more relevant to the story. What you glean from that is up to you.**

 **By the way, I changed what was once Chapter 1 to the Prologue, and updated all of the chapter titles. I just thought it made more sense, so sorry if that confused you. And when I went back and read those earlier chapters, I noticed that they're absolutely terrible. I know my writing isn't too much better than before, but what is now Chapter 1 is a complete garbage fire. So I'm working on fixing the earlier chapters to improve the story for future readers.**

 **Anyway, Last time we saw our motley crew of Trainers, Brooke had won her badge and moved on from Aspertia. Riley won his own badge soon after, and Adam decided to travel alone to search for the purpose of his journey.**

 **With them all split up like this, I may switch perspectives and cover their individual journeys. Send me a review and tell me what you think about that. Also, once again, this chapter will be in Riley's POV because this is a personal chapter for him, and I couldn't think of a better way to do it (it won't start in 1st POV, so don't be confused, and you'll find out why it isn't in a second).**

 **And with that, onto the story!**

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 **Chapter 5: Alone Together**

 _Isolation. Despair. Pain._

 _Riley could feel nothing else as he ran down a familiar street in a city he didn't know. His pursuers, all three clad in black and enveloped in darkness, gained on him with weapons in hand. He tried to scream for help, any help, but his calls went unheard._

 _As Riley ran, a speck of white light appeared in the crushing, painful darkness and he knew it would be his only asylum. His strides became longer and faster as he felt a fleeting feeling of Hope mixed with the pain, the sorrow, and everything in between, as if his suffering could ever end._

 _As Riley approached the glowing asylum, and as the darkness began to absorb him and the gaining agents of Evil extended their ghastly fingers that would be the end of him, his Hope began to leave as well. Riley reached for the light, but the darkness consumed that, too, and everything went black._

 _Suddenly, Hope formed a small, expanding light in the center of Riley's heart, the white piercing through the overwhelming black. The light quickly became a blinding flash that was gone as soon as it appeared._

 _Riley cautiously glanced behind him. The Agents were gone as well as the darkness. With no light to guide him, Riley wandered the empty streets of the Unknown City, searching for a purpose that was never there._

 _He wandered for an eternity as all Hope was swept away, replaced by the ever growing silence, the loneliness, the despair. The Unknown._

 _Once those feelings were almost too much to bear, a new path spread apart the returning night, but he was wary. The light had saved him, then deceived him. Should he trust the light again? What other path was there? Without guidance, he could not go on. There was no other choice._

 _Riley began to wander down the glowing path. After yet another eternity passed, something appeared at the end of the road. Riley began running toward it to find that it was not something, but a person. No, not a person, but Her. The woman in the locket. His locket. His mother._

 _Riley sprinted toward his mother, the feelings of isolation and sadness were swept away, The Hope had returned! His cries for Her ended the beautiful yet terrible sound of silence, and Hope was now the only thing he could feel. Suddenly, Riley stopped. The Hope began to fade again. Something was wrong, so very, completely wrong._

 _Once he reached Her, she was sobbing, her eyes staring down the barrel of a of an Agent's pistol. Riley reached for the gun, but it was fifteen years too late. Another flash of light betrayed the true nature of the light; False Hope. The shot rang in his ears, drowning the sound of his own desperate cries._

 _Riley lifted the woman who was once his mother and screamed as she was consumed by the darkness, and all the Hope in the Unknown disappeared forever._

 _Isolation. Despair. Pain._

 _It was all I could feel._

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I gasped and quickly sat up, shivering because of the cold sweat soaking my shirt and hair. I immediately reached for the locket that was still around my neck and held it against my heart. I sat like that for who knows how long as I tried to stop hyperventilating.

"Get a fucking grip Riley, it was just a dream!" I hissed once my breathing slowed. It didn't actually help me get a grip. It never does.

I knew my mom was murdered when I was an infant, I had seen the police report. I also read that my dad disappeared not long before my mom's death. I accepted a long time ago that my parents were long gone. So why couldn't I let it go?

I knew that damn locket was making me feel this way, bringing back old emotions and thoughts I had buried years ago and neglected to dig up. I just couldn't bring myself to throw the locket away, and not just because there was a Key Stone attached to it. It was the only thing I had to remind me of my mother, I just couldn't part with it. But the locket didn't make me feel any less alone. I glanced beside me at the second bed occupying the room, which was empty, of course.

I didn't realize how much Adam and Brooke meant to me. Without them around, I felt like I lost my brother and sister. Without them, without anyone, was I truly alone?

"No," I decided. I stared at the egg laying in the incubator on my nightstand. I have my Pokémon, and they're just as much my friends Adam and Brooke. They're closer to me than my own parents were.

I knew I wasn't going to fall back asleep, so I walked to the terrace outside my room. I had spent the night after I won my badge in Aspertia and left the next morning. I spent the day training my Pokemon while making my way back to Flocessy Town. I skipped Alder's house this time (his cryptic message of a "power hidden within me" creeped me out) and rented a room in the local inn, hence the terrace outside my room.

I sighed when I noticed the "scenic view" of Pledge Grove the room "graciously" provided. I had had enough of that place. I considered a way down from the terrace with an awful view, and decided to climb. It was too late to walk out the front door without disturbing the innkeeper, and some exercise wouldn't hurt.

I swung my legs over the terrace railing and quickly found footholds in the large stones the building was composed of. After that, it was an easy twenty foot descent. Climbing and running had always been two things I was exceptional at, and those skills came in handy for escaping from rich, stupid assholes who think they're better than you because they have parents.

Anyway, once my feet touched ground, I began to wander through the tiny town, which I had yet to explore despite the amount of time I had spent there. Its origins stretched back farther than Aspertia's, which explained the many relics the town contained, such as the long useless clock tower Flocessy was known for. Honestly, you could called most of the houses relics. They were clearly old, some abandoned and falling apart. The tiny town also had no businesses, not even a Pokemon Center. Flocessy was just a small, simple farm town filled with simple people living their lives. I could see why Alder liked it so much. The position of Champion is a huge burden, and Alder had been in service longer than almost any Champion in history. That alone deserved a retirement in a quiet town.

There wasn't a whole lot of sightseeing to do at five in the morning, and I soon found myself climbing the tallest tree I could find for the hell of it. The tree happened to be right outside of Pledge Grove, so my body climbed on autopilot as my mind filled itself with more conflicting emotions.

As I reached one of the highest branches, I felt my hand wrap around something warm and hairy.

"So you can't sleep either, huh?"

I screamed and nearly fell from the tree in shock, but I caught a nearby branch and swung myself up to sit and catch my breath.

"Wow, I'm not _that_ repulsive, am I?" The person, who was definitely male, chuckled. The voice was unfamiliar, but in the light of dawn, I could get a good look at him. He looked tall, but it was hard to tell from the way he was lying with his head resting against the trunk and his legs crossed.

He was wearing a white mud and grass-stained tank top with black shorts, and no shoes to speak of. A belt full of Pokéballs hung from the branch next to him. What drew most of my attention, however, was his shock of wild red and orange hair, and similarly wild red eyes. He was smirking at me, clearly waiting for a response.

"Uhhhh no, you're not. Do I know you? You look familiar." I asked.

"No, you don't know me, but you may know of me. Name's Benga," he said as he extended a hand to shake. I took it, then as if a lightbulb flashed, I remembered who he was.

"Wait, you're Benga! As in _Elite Four Benga_!" I shouted, suddenly starstruck. I had known Gray for most of my life, so when he became Champion, I didn't see him as the strongest Trainer in Unova, or an internationally famous hero for defeating the new Team Plasma. I just saw him as Gray. The Elite Four, on the other hand, are a different story altogether.

A new Champion is decided by winning the Unova League Tournament, then defeating the Elite Four and the previous Champion. The new Champion can then appoint new Elite Four members if they desire. The previous Elite Four for around twenty years consisted of Shauntal, Grimsley, Marshall, and Caitlin, but had disbanded when Gray was deemed the new Champion. Caitlin went back to the Battle Castle in Sinnoh. Grimsley and Shauntal retired from Training, with Grimsley going to the Alola Region and Shauntal going to Laverre City in Kalos. Marshall simply left to wander the planet and train. This left Gray to recruit an entire Elite Four, which Benga was (obviously) one of the members of.

Benga stuck an index finger to my lips. "Shush. The town is asleep, and that isn't exactly classified knowledge," he said.

Once Benga removed his finger, I nodded. "Sorry about that," I said, considerably quieter than before. "Why are you up here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. I'd imagine we're both up here to reflect on something, blow off some steam, possibly? Y'know, unless you're just climbing trees at five a.m. But if that's your kinda thing, go for it man."

The look on my face must have been priceless. He was the least formal political figure I had ever seen. I decided that I liked him. "No, I'm not up here to climb trees. I'm just… thinking about stuff, like you said." I waited for Benga to question me, but the words never came. I appreciated that.

After a long and admittedly awkward pause, I decided to ask the first question that came to mind: "What is it like to be one of the strongest trainers on the planet?"

Benga sighed deeply, then said, "Do you know how often I'm asked that question? What makes this time different from all the others?"

I took a moment to carefully choose my words. "First of all, we're in a tree." This elicited a laugh from Benga. "And secondly, I'm not some fanboy or reporter. I'm just curious. And I have a feeling this is related what you were thinking about."

Benga just sat there looking right at me, as if he didn't know what to say. "Before I answer your question, answer this; why did you become a Trainer?"

"To become Champion," I said a little too fast. I defaulted to giving the simplest answer and not; "I want some as to who killed my mother, and why my father disappeared shortly before that."

The easy answer seemed to be good enough. "That was my goal too. Avenge Gramps, become the best there ever was. It seemed so simple. I earned all my badges pretty easily, I thought I had it in the bag. Then Gray Shaw beat me in the Unova League, and again in Black Tower. Gray taught me that nothing is as simple as it seems. That's what I'm thinking about. I'm remembering what seemed simple, how it wasn't so simple, and how that affects me today."

I was speechless. Gray told me that Benga always spoke his mind, he was never one to beat around the bush, and he was kind of reckless in his actions and words. I had never would have pegged him as a particularly deep person. Then the moral of his story really hit me and my previous notions of Alder's grandson disappeared.

"So, as for your actual question, being an Elite Four is hard work. Trust me, being recognized as one of the best isn't all it's cracked up to be," he said before he scoffed under his breath. "It's not so simple."

"Alright, now that you know why I'm up here, it's your turn," Benga said. He suddenly decided his position on his tree branch needed to change and hung upside down by his legs as if the branch was a monkey bar in a playground. Now he was at eye level with me.

As he got comfortable, I considered how much of my life story to tell. Was I going to explain my soap opera of a life to someone I just met?

What the hell. "So I guess everything began when my mom died…" I proceeded to tell Benga almost everything, but my dad's disappearance wasn't relevant. If Gray trusted him enough to make him one of his most trusted advisors and regional protectors, that's good enough for me.

Once I had finished, Benga gave a long, low whistle. "Wow man, you've had it rough. But I've seen a lot in my time, and my advice for you is to tackle this shit head-on. You're not gonna find closure by avoiding the issue. Trust me, I know that more than most. Go find some answers, and I'll be waiting for a challenge at the League."

"I'll see you there. And thank you Benga, for this. I needed it."

Benga nodded, then an Xtransceiver watch on his wrist buzzed. Benga briefly glanced at it and sighed. He proceeded to let go and drop from the side of the tree. When I craned my neck over the side of my branch to see, he was already on the ground. "I have to head back to the League. Remember what I said! See ya Riley, and good luck!" And with that, Benga released a fucking _Latios_ andclimbed onto its back. Before I got over the fact that he owned a Legendary Pokémon, he was gone.

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After Benga left, I made it back to the inn and got some fitful rest. I woke up at noon and went for a jog out to a lake that I scouted out earlier, a great place for training.

Kai and Kenji were sparring on the shore and Kai was winning, of course. Kai was unbeatable in a hand-to-hand fight. I was sitting on a boulder nearby next to the incubator, just watching.

My mind soon drifted, and I focused on the environment around me. The lake was crystal blue and clear, you could see every Basculin and Barbroach from top to bottom. This particular lake was surrounded by forest miles away from Flocessy or even Route 20.

As my mind continued to drift, I started thinking about everything from the dream to my parents to Alder's warning. I sat there thinking for Arceus knows how long and didn't stop until I felt something tugging at my jeans. Kai was staring up at me with a concerned face, with Kenji standing nearby.

That was when I decided to end this fucking obsession once and for all. "Okay guys, amazing job today, return," I said as my Pokémon reluctantly went back into their balls. I recalled the egg into its own ball and began to make my way toward Pledge Grove. I was going to find some answers.

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The trip there was less hazardous this time. Fortunately, the Pineco had all fallen already, and soon I had made it to Pledge Rock and the rest of the grove.

I stood directly under where I found the locket, ripped it off my neck, and held it toward the sky. "Who gave me this! Tell me! What do you _want_ with me!" I screamed to someone or something I knew wasn't going to be there. I stood there, waiting for a sign, any sign, knowing deep down I would never get one.

Tears of anger, frustration, and grief began streaming down my face as I gave up and fell onto my knees, sobbing. I pounded the ground with my fist until the pain grew to unbearable, then just sat there, seething with rage.

I sat there until a bright white glow pierced through the darkness of my tightly shut eyelids. I carefully opened them and searched for the source of the light.

"Wait… Is it coming from _me_?!" I said as I inspected my arms. It seemed as if white light was emanating from my entire body, and I heard and felt a strong hum resonate from within me. The glow and hum lasted a few moments longer before disappearing entirely.

 _What just happened?_ I thought _. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? No, it lasted far too long for that. Was it a Pokémon? Maybe… But no known Pokémon in Pledge Grove could cause-_

Suddenly, my train of thought was interrupted by a wild ringing coming from my bag. I quickly reached for my egg's Item Ball and released it. There were already cracks in the egg that which blinding white beams of light protruded, similar to the glow from earlier. The cracks began to expand as the Pokémon within began to escape. The whole egg split open, causing the entire grove to be bathed in a white flash.

When the light finally dimmed, I opened my eyes and any lingering anger or despair was swept away as a grin slowlyspread across my face. A tiny crying Togepi lied on the cushion that supported the once-egg, which was now wrapped around the baby Pokémon's round body.

I gently picked up the tiny Fairy and held it close. "It's okay, just calm down," I assured as I stroked its soft pale head. After a few minutes it finally fell asleep. I carefully reached for a Pokéball on my belt and tapped the Togepi. The ball went through its customary 3 shakes and clicked. I got out my Pokedex and scanned my new Pokemon from its ball and discovered that it was a female.

I thought of a nickname for a moment, then remembered the white flash her egg emitted when she hatched. I looked down at my newly-named teammate.

"I'll name you Hope. Because for now, that's all I need."

I walked out of Pledge Grove that day with all the answers I wanted.

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 **And there's Chapter 5! Thanks for reading it, and how about sending a review for a birthday present? It would be highly appreciated, but try to keep the criticism constructive.**

 **PS: I don't know about you other writers on this site, but I always listen to music when I'm writing. It helps me focus and get me in a certain vibe. Well, these are a couple songs that I recommend that show off the general vibe of this chapter, one of which I referenced in the dream sequence. Think of it as a soundtrack for the chapter. I might not do this for every chapter, but I'm personally proud of this one, so here you go:**

 **"Sound of Silence" -Disturbed**

 **"Chop Suey!" -System of a Down**

 **Thank you again, and I'll see you in the next update!**

* * *

 **Riley's Team:**

 **Kai (Riolu): Level 15**

 **Moves) Force Palm, Quick Attack, Counter, Endure**

 **Kenji (Oshawott): Level 14**

 **Moves) Water Gun, Leer, Razor Shell, Focus Energy**

 **Hope (Togepi): Level 1**

 **Moves) Growl, Charm**


	7. Update

Obviously I haven't updated in a while... I'm really sorry for that, but life has been insanely hectic, and I've had to balance so many things that writing has been pushed to the backburner.

That is probably the biggest reason, but another big factor is my writing ability. I have really high expectations for this story, I've planned where i want it to go and I'm excited for the future. However, I feel that my writing capabilities (or lack thereof) limit where this story will go.

So consider the past… six months(?) of no updates, as well as the time going forward, a hiatus. I definitely want to return to it, I'm not dropping Infinity by any means. But I want to hone my writing skills and come back a better writer that can create something more. I'll probably work on chapters when I have time, but not post them. Hopefully when I come back, I'll be ready to make this story the way I want to.

Until then, I'm sorry for anyone who may have enjoyed this, and I hope that I give you something better when I come back.


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